To ask what I do to prevent this from reoccuring

[NonworkingAnkle]

My ankle keeping giving way several times a day and I am actually falling over to the floor on average once a day.

My knees, shoulders, wrists are painful from the three crashes to the ground in the last three days.

I am not tripping or doing anything wrong.
I am walking along and suddenly without warning my ankle gives way (painlessly until I get to the ground)

Any ideas ? Can I buy a brace or something or some kind of exercises I can do to reduce/stop it happening again. Frankly I am getting so embrassed, as everyone runs over to me every time so fall...I am only in my 40's too young to fall over so much.

I have been diagnosised with low thyroid and sleep apnoea in the last 6 months but I can't see either being the cause.

Help me figure this out.

Have you been to see your GP about this?

In case there’s some physical cause that they may be able to help with?

There is a 2 week wait for an non emergency GP appointment. I was hoping to get some advice for the meantime.

There's plenty of ankle supports you could buy off the shelves - they're like really tough bandages. Some even have Velcro fastenings so you can tighten it. Might make you feel a little more secure. Also watch what shoes you wear and stick to comfortable ones or boots that come up around the ankle for the time being, preferably flats as you don't want to be twisting over on it

I'd be getting an emergency appointment for that.

You have no idea who is giving the advice. Just go to the doctor ffs. I could tell you I’m an internationally renowned Weak Ankle specialist and you don’t know if that’s true or not.
Just go to the doctor

If you're falling over without warning I would get an emergency appointment. You could hit your head on the way down or collapse crossing a road or anything. Are you driving? You need to consider whether it's safe to continue doing so.

My ankle used to do this all the time until I stopped wearing heels - i never wore hugely high heels either, just a couple of inches. Once I started wearing low, supportive shoes or trainers most of the time it stopped. The number of times I went flying as my ankle just collapsed! I remember falling flat on my face once on a busy city pavement. It used to be really embarrassing as well as painful.

I am fine driving. My ankle which is collapsing is my left one and my car is an automatic.

But I hadn't thought about falling in the road. That would be a problem, as it takes me a few minutes to get up again.

I will try for an emergency one tomorrow.

Makeitrain glad you got your ankle sorted.

Yes, I wear only flats. Walking boots or trainers.

Have you ever had a previous ankle injury? I had a lower leg injury many years ago due to a fall and tore ligaments that did not 100% heel.

I cannot wear slip.on shoes/sandals/mules. I need to wear more boot like shoes in winter that cover my ankle (rieker or heavenly feet) or sandals with stong ankle straps.

However you need to get it checked out.

Does your surgery five advice calls. If you can't get an emergency appoint ask for an advice call. When the doctor calls back to discuss they may be able to suggest something or give you an earlier appointment.
Underactive thyroid links to more things than you realise.
If you don't mind me asking what area of the country are you in. Earlier this year our health board started offering direct access physio. For those surgeries who have signed up patients can self refer for a one off short appointment. I went to my gp about my ankle. She thought it was achillies heel but told me to go to direct access. The first 15 people to turn up are seen. If like me the physio can diagnose and give exercises straight away they do. If not they put you on the waiting list for a full appointment. It us a great idea. Worth checking if something similar is offered in your area.

Good luck and I hope you don't seriously hurt yourself if you do fall again.

So my mum has this. You need a more urgent appointment as they need to exclude somethings. Get a call back

Do you have hypermobility? Can you see a private physio while you are waiting for doc appt?

There is a whiff of hypermobility about this - I have ankles like cooked spaghetti. Is this a recent development?

I am double jointed at my hips.

I did hurt this ankle a year ago but only a sprain. I was just on crutches for a while and some foot exercises to do whilst recovering which I did daily.

I will ask for advice, if there are no appointments left when I ring.

Very recent development.

I have always been clumsy and trip over a fair bit. That is how I hurt my ankle last year by tripping over.

My ankle giving way at random and without warning is a new thing. No chance even to grab anything, just down I go again.

I would suggest making an appointment with a private physio.

Private health care is not within our budget. I am more looking for a sheet of exercises, I can do at home myself or an ankle brace/support if it is warranted.

@Lamona What advice did your mum get ?

Sudden joint weakness can be an early indicator of serious things like mnd and ms so you need to take this seriously and demand an emergency appointment. Obv if you have particularly mobile joints in general it might be part and parcel of that but anything unexpectedly sudden without an obvious cause is worth scrutiny.

She's currently under investigation for a nuerological issue. Its not MNd but they were obviously checking for that first.

I don't want to scare you- but you should be able to get a sooner appointment than 2 weeks.
Does it feel like the strength has gone or like the ankle joint has gone? My mum felt like it was that there was just no strength to hold her body at the ankle.

It is like someone has cut the string to my ankle.

Doctor referred me to neurology.

She doesn't think it is a weak ankle as there is no pain before my ankle goes and I fall.

She think the pains in my arms and the burning feeling (only had that for one weekend) are related. Though another doctor saud at the time that was Throid related and not to worry about it.

She also wanted to know if I was worried about anything, only falling over again.

So s month wait for an appointment date so a few months to see someone.

In the meantime, don't worry, keep wearing walking boots and use a stick if I feel it will stop me falling (worth a try, I guess...can't be any more embrassing than falling over all the time)

I am so worried about walking outside and an praying the icey weather holds off.

I am thinking of getting a wobble board to strengthen my ankle, whilst I wait for an referral.